Peach Tarts
by Mystery002
Summary: Yes they are and no, you can't have any. Oneshot.


Disclaimer- I do not own Sonic the Hedgehog or any related characters.

Peach Tarts

"Yes they are and no, you can't have any."

A ghost of what could have been considered a frown crossed the handsome features of Shadow the – self-proclaimed bad ass and ultimate life form – Hedgehog. Usually he tended to keep his facial features neutral at all times but this was an exception, this time he was denied something that he wanted.

Rouge the Bat – treasure huntress and liberator of all jewels big and small – matched the dark one's displeased face with a steadily growing glare. He was, without a single doubt, the most stubborn male she had ever met in her entire life.

It had been like this ever since she could remember, which stretches back four years ago when the albino bat first encountered the night-colored hedgehog aboard space colony Ark along with Doctor Eggman.

He always thought himself to be so superior to everyone around him, like he was in his own little world where nothing tangible could reach him. Disapproving of aid and untrustworthy of his closest friends – that was what described him the best in Rouge's mind.

Shadow's frown deepened at the lack of reaction from the bat. His silent treatment could break anyone, even Sonic, to do the things he wanted them to do. His unspoken threats loomed over the air like swirling dragons ready to breathe fire upon anyone that stood in his way – and that was just it, this little white bat was the one that stood there.

"But I want one."

The treasure huntress resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the uncharacteristic whining of the ultimate life form. If it were any other situation, she would have rolled on the floor laughing after hearing him speak in such a childish tone, but this was not the place for it.

Especially when they were in her apartment above Club Rouge, in her already crammed kitchen, with the bat wearing a pink cooking apron. Not only that, but multiple batches of flour stained her arms, legs, even her face. Her usual neat and tidy hair was undone and spread over her face, partly covering her left eye.

She was not in a presentable state to say the least.

But she had made a promise to Sonic two days ago. The blue hedgehog had come to her and begged for his favorite sweet treat for the picnic that she was going to attend with the rest of them in about half an hour.

He had even offered to buy her a month's supply of her favorite tea if she were to comply. Now, Rouge was no cook, but her mother had taught her some basics in baking and she was sure that whatever Sonic wanted wouldn't be too hard to bake up.

How wrong she had been.

It was on that day, two days ago, that the albino bat found out that Sonic favorite treat – besides the Chili Dogs he worshiped so much – were Peach Tarts.

In all honesty, the bat would have never guessed that the blue her was one for sweets at all, let alone Peach Tarts. Not only that, but they had to be bite-sized, just the way Amy made them for him.

And, of course and unfortunately for the bat, the rose hedgehog was on vacation until now and just arrived a couple of hours ago. Asking her to bake then would have been flat-out rude.

So Rouge had agreed to bake the Peach Tarts for Sonic. In fact, that's what she had been doing all morning. Mixing, baking, and placing the small treats in a large basket the size of a small postal package. She had whipped up about thirty of them, aiming for fifty since most of her friends were attending.

But what she definitely did not expect on that morning was for Shadow the Hedgehog himself to leap through the open window in her apartment, fresh from another high-class GUN mission, his green vest with the company's insignia on the shoulders still strapped to his chest.

The huntress had nearly jumped out of her frilly pink apron at the sudden and uninvited appearance of the black hedgehog. Then, adding even more layers of shock to the ones already stacked on her mind, he demanded one – just one – of the Peach Tarts.

Her feminine intuition kicked in immediately and she had refused.

This definitely pissed Shadow off. It was the one thing that angered him above everything else, being denied something that he really wanted. And at the moment, he really wanted one of those Peach Tarts.

The voluptuous bat huffed and turned back to the small assortment of tarts that still needed arranging, "Well, Shadow, you'll just have to come to the picnic today. It would actually do you some good to get out for once."

The ultimate life form's eyes narrowed into daggers, "What are you implying, Rouge?"

There it was, that easily riled-up personality. Honestly, to see how Shadow could make it as one of G.U.N.'s top agents – that hot-head – was well beyond her. He was powerful, fast, and smart, but he always let his temper get the best of him.

"What do you think I'm implying?" Rouge shot back, not turning away from the small assorted treats on her kitchen counter, "You get up, go on a couple of G.U.N. missions, eat, and go to bed. Come to think of it, this is the first time you've visited me in a week."

"Don't blame me for saving the world twice a week," the crimson-stripped hedgehog responded evenly, his eyelids lowering in a bad attempt at a sarcastic look, "Tell the idiot to do his job every once in a while."

The ivory treasure huntress rolled her eyes, "Stop calling Sonic and idiot. Maybe if you'd be nice to him, he would help you and G.U.N. out every once in a while."

"He is an idiot," Shadow shot back, "What kind of world-renowned hero is scared to death of water and eats Chili Dogs day and night?"

There it was: Shadow's terrible trait number two. He was always so mean, even to his friends. Rouge always believed that Sonic and Shadow shared one of the closest bonds out of all of them, yet they continuously fought every time they met. Most of the time it was Shadow who started it.

"All I'm saying is that you should be nicer to him and everyone else, we're your friends you know," the bat explained like a mother would lecture her child.

Now, being the ultimate life form, Shadow did not miss that hint of motherly tone in her voice. And what infuriated him more than being denied something that he wanted was being lectured like a child. Who did Rouge think she was lecturing a fifty-plus year-old biologically-created hedgehog from a space colony with a haunted past?

Now he was just getting off task. The main objective was, of course, to get one of those Peach Tarts from his ally.

"Rouge, give me one of those Peach Tarts," the ultimate life form commanded. His tone was firm and manly, his chest was puffed out, and his eyes were narrowed.

There was no way Rouge would deny him this time now that he was putting on the macho-man charade.

...Or so he thought.

The treasure huntress simply ignored him, continuing on with carefully placing the Peach Tarts on top of their brothers and sisters in the small wooden basket.

Shadow's eyes nearly dusked into ebony at being ignored.

Today seemed to be 'piss off the ultimate life form day'. First, he was denied something that he really, really, really wanted. Then, he was lectured as if he was nothing more than a child. And now he was being completely ignored!

One could have thought that the black hedgehog would dash off, knock Rouge over, steal the entire box of tarts, and run like a thief in the night. And while that scenario played itself over in the ultimate life form's head once or twice, he decided against it.

That was no way for him, Shadow the Hedgehog, to behave.

"Fine," the ebony and crimson anti-hero breathed out with a sigh, "You win."

Rouge could literally feel her emerald-green eyes widening out of shock. Shadow just...submitted? There was no way, absolutely no way. It went against everything in the "Shadow the Hedgehog: Ultimate Bad-Ass" handbook.

Number one: Don't show emotion. People might think you're normal.

Number two: Be as anti-social as possible. No one can hope to rise to the bad-ass rank you have achieved.

Number three: Never submit. Even when everything seems hopeless and you can't feel your toes anymore, quitting is for sissies.

There was a sudden whoosh that gently blew her apron up. Rouge's eyes flashed as she spun around on one heel to face the doorway.

Shadow walked towards the exit, a dark and cocky smile on his face as he glanced at her. Then he winked, holding his delicious prize between his gloved fingers. Spinning around again, Rouge's eyes nearly turned purple when she saw that the carefully crafted pyramid of Peach Tarts in her basket was missing one!

That damn super-speed of his!

Acting faster than she could think, the treasure huntress felt herself literally tackling the ultimate life form to the ground, Rouge landing on top of him with either leg on his arms to keep him down before snatching the treat right out of his hands.

"Rouge, get off."

Shadow's voice was low and dangerous. No one in their right mind would dare challenge the ultimate life form; less so tackle him to the floor and steal his food. But then again, Rouge had been cooking all day, she was far from the right state of mind.

Rouge shook her head, causing Shadow's vermilion eyes to narrow into slits. Then he was gone in a flash of green light, leaving the treasure huntress to fall to the ground for a moment before shooting back up, alarmed that the hedgehog was using his powers.

Then she suddenly found herself face-to-chest with the ultimate life form. Not only that, but she also felt the absence of a small tart from her grasp. Now willing or even thinking to give up, the huntress snatched the tart away again, trying to hold it out of Shadow's reach.

The dark hedgehog had to stop himself from rolling his eyes at Rouge's antics, "Rouge, just give me the tart."

Once again, the bat shook her head as a clear and definite "no".

Tired of playing around, the motorcycle-riding hero reached for the tart.

'_I can't let him have it!' _Rouge yelled in her mind, '_This isn't about waiting for the picnic anymore, it's about pride!'_

Making a quick decision, the huntress stuffed the Peach Tart in her mouth right as Shadow was about to grab it, crossing her arms over her chest in a defiant look.

There was an eerie silence that floated over the room like a dragon ready to breathe fire – or Chaos Spears – at any moment.

But, she had won. There was no way Shadow was getting this Peach Tart now.

The ultimate life form's expression remained neutral for a moment. Then, to the great shock of Rouge, he leaned in, kissing her delicately on the lips.

If Sonic had announced to the whole world that he was no match for Shadow, if he had given up Chili Dogs for the rest of his life, if he had asked for Amy's hand in marriage and made a dozen babies with her; it all wouldn't equal to the amount of shock coursing through the veins of the treasure huntress at the moment.

Shadow's taste was hot and spicy, justly fitting his personality. He leaned in more, licking Rouge's bottom lip and set of teeth with his tongue, asking – no, Shadow never asked for anything – demanding entrance.

The ivory-furred bat gave into his demands, letting the ultimate life form's skilled tongue roam in her mouth freely before she fought back with her own. The moment seemed to last for an eternity. But in the world of reality, living beings needed oxygen.

So, much to the dismay of Rouge, the two parted slowly, delicately, with Shadow giving one final nibble to the white bat's lips.

That dark, victorious smirk once again crossed his lips, "I'll see you at the picnic."

Then, in a wisp of air, he was gone, out of the window to leave a shocked, dizzy, and blushing Rouge standing in the middle of her apartment. Her heart pounded in an uneven rhythm as she put a hand to her chest in order to calm herself down.

At that very moment, Rouge noticed the absence of the small, square, Peach Tart in her mouth.

Author's Note- Well, that one's a little lighter than the one I wrote before, right? I hope you all liked it.

And for those of you wondering about my latest "real" story, which is entitled "In the End", here is the final preview to get your blood pumping. Be sure to check out the release date at the bottom of the page.

Until that day, be good and enjoy life!

-

_Simultaneously, as if it had been rehearsed beforehand, both hedgehogs shot off towards each other, the raging waterfall creating the perfect background setting for the final clash between the two former friends._

_A long, crimson energy trail slithered behind Sonic as he charged at Shadow head-first, his right arm carrying the Shinning Lance drawn back behind his body, his vermilion eyes wide with fury and desperation._

_Even though he was a good ten feet above the water below, it still rippled and parted under the Hyper hedgehog. The swirling, crimson energy orb behind him continued to spin furiously, as if anxiously awaiting the clash that was about to come. Sonic's mouth was open to reveal his bleach-white, clenched teeth._

_Shadow's wings beat in a steady rhythm to keep the black hedgehog afloat, kicking up and spraying water on either side of his demonic-looking body, which was angled straight, like a giant, black arrow. His face and lifeless obsidian eyes had lost all their nonchalance as the ultimate life form showed off his fanged teeth._

_Behind the dark hedgehog's body trailed his hand carrying the jet-black Chaos Spear. It sizzled and twisted in the ultimate life form's hand, eagerly awaiting the clash with its opposite, the attack of the Hyper hero across from Shadow._

_Sonic quickly raised his arm to eye-level, holding his deadly and most ferocious attack close to his face. The hero could feel the pure energy of the attack warming his face, but he ignored the comforting feeling._

_Shadow also raised his attack in the same manner as Sonic did, feeling the twisting orb of black energy in his hand lashing against his face. The two were getting closer by the second._

_To a bystander, it would have seemed like a battle of demons, one of fire and one of darkness. Locked in an battle of epic proportions, staged under the gray clouds and in front of a moving curtain of water. A mere arm's reach away from each other, both warriors thrust their attacks forward with all of their might, sending their entire bodies and all of their powers into the battle-ending orbs of energy._

_Drowning out the ferocious roar of the nearby waterfall, the scuffle of the wildlife, the whistle of the blowing wind, both Sonic and Shadow, closest friends torn apart by their destinies, shouted the names of their attacks to the heavens at the exact same moment._

"_**Chaos Spear**!"_

"_**Shinning Lance**!"_

_**PREPARE YOURSELF...**_

_**December 15, 2007**_


End file.
